11.28.2012

Shiro Sagisu strikes again with the release of the next original soundtrack for the Rebuild of Evangelion movie series! The complex symphony of strings, percussion, horns and choir as heard on the first two soundtracks has been enhanced with very epic electric guitars to create a dynamic and, arguably, very heroic/anti-heroic musical experience. This two-disc set contains even more original music plus two tracks from the original anime that every Eva fan is going to want to hear. Once you are finished listening to this soundtrack, you'll either feel like a badass or an angel-- an angel like Kaworu!

Unlike the first two soundtracks, Evangelion 3.0 is quite a bit shorter. Don't let the reduction in track numbers fool you. Every track packs a powerful punch. The fun begins with the opening track, "God's Message" as heard in the trailer. How does he come up with such complex arrangements?! Stirring strings starts the piece which gradually builds in magnitude until the chorus and horns join in. You know something worthy of a 3rd Impact is going to occur. In fact, the first tracks on disc one are very intense and very loud.

The latter half of the disc settles down a bit but, not by much. The music becomes more somber. The tension grows. The chorus sounds as though it is warning the listener that something tragic and unexpected will occur. Things pick back up with tracks like,"It Will Mean Victory" (which sounds like it came from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children), the discordant "Scarred and Battled", the epic "The Wrath of God in All Its Fury," and a very familiar piece of classical music for Eva fans, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". The final track on the disc, "God's Gift" is very surprising. It starts as a mix of diluted guitar rifts and techno-style synth as though it was going to turn into a club tone. However, it doesn't. This track is slow and edgy. The guitar and strings solo is to die for. The trumpet and guitar work in this track is simply amazing. It is a very addictive piece of music.

Disc two carries more of the style of music that Shiro produced for the first two Rebuild soundtracks. There are two more different arrangements for "The Longest Day" from Evangelion 1.0. The first is the extended version "2EM13_EM20_Alterna" from the Evangelion 2.0 soundtrack. The second combines all of the different variations of "The Longest Day," adds in the chorus and titles itself, "Serenity Amongst the Turmoil." Disc two is composed of mostly piano tracks that range from haunting and foreboding to quiet and sad. The next piece of Evangelion music from the television series to be arranged for the Rebuild is "Borderline Case." Anyone with the S2 Works set knows how many different variations there are of this *cough cough* disc 5 *cough cough*. Evangelion 3.0 presents what I like to call a J.A. Seazer-style all piano version and a tense orchestral and choir version of it. "Borderline Case" has always been a favorite of mine so I was happy to hear it on this disc. The second to last track on the disc is the choral version of the preview music.

The very last track is somewhat of an enigma. It's 9:15 in length and called "Famously...". It consists of two piano solos, one long trumpet solo, and a guy reading what sounds like translated dialogue between Shinji and Kaworu. There are a few lengthy moments of silence between each portion of that track. It is the weirdest thing to come out of the Rebuild of Evangelion music series thus far. Even so, you certainly can (not) redo the epicness that is this soundtrack. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I grew up listening to the music Shiro Sagisu created for Neon Genesis Evangelion. I am very pleased with what he has done and continues to do for the Rebuild of Evangelion series and I will be on pins and needles until the soundtrack for Evangelion 4.0 comes out. He truly is a musical god. Purchase your copy of the Evangelion 3.0 soundtrack at your favorite online retailer today! Believe me, Kaworu would be happy if you did!

11.16.2012

I think it's safe to say that we can all agree a "Top Video Games of All Time" list is never an easy thing to do. There will always be titles missing that for many are shoe-ins, or titles that make it but have no business being there. Then there's the nuance of titles of importance and titles of popularity, as opposed to titles that score high in all categories of gameplay, visuals, audio, story, etc. That is always true. But that doesn't mean that lists don't exist.

Time Magazine has done just that with their "All-Time 100 Video Games" list, and what's cool about it is the poll results showing what the public thinks about the list -- definitely? or no way?

11.15.2012

Telltale has confirmed that the fifth and final episode of The Walking Dead video game series, "No Time Left" will be coming out on November 21st for most platforms, and a day earlier on the Playstation Network! What better time to celebrate Thanksgiving than with zombies and finding out what becomes of Lee and crew. If you've been keeping up with the episodes, you know how high the stakes are now.

At the end of each episode, stats of what decisions you and other players made are displayed. It's always interesting to see where you fare with the rest of the world. And the video below does just that for episode 4. Be warned though, if you have not played all 4 episodes yet, do NOT watch this video. Major spoilers ahead. But if you have though, the by all means, please partake. It serves as a nice summary and segue to the final episode.

For those holding off until the retail version comes out (and for those who want the physical game), the wait isn't much longer either. Remember, the standard version with all five episodes will cost $29.99 and the GameStop-exclusive collector's edition is set at $69.99 and will get you the full game, as well as a huge Walking Dead Compendium collection, assembling the first 48 issues of the comic series.

11.14.2012

Our favorite talks-a-mile-a-minute Salarian is coming to us in a beautifully hand-scultped polyresin bust. Looks like Mordin may be the first of a series of Mass Effect busts...or at least this fan is hoping it is. (I recall a prototype Garrus bust earlier).

Each piece is individually cast and handpainted and stands 8 inches tall. Mordin comes with a detachable headset; a sculpted and embossed base with the text "Someone Else Might Have Gotten It Wrong."

Retailed at $50.00, you can preorder yours now at the BioWare store. And if you put your order in before November 19th, you can get Mordin for a special discounted price of $40.00. This is a spectacular piece to add to any Mass Effect fan.

11.13.2012

Premium Bandai, Bandai's online shopping site, will begin taking pre-orders for a 1/1-scale Wild Tiger head from Tiger & Bunny on Monday. Unlike the rubber mask that Animate offered last year, Bandai's painted, assembled display model is made of hard ABS plastic and opens in half.

If your eyes and heart have settled on owning this cool 1/1-scale Wild Tiger head, be sure your wallet is also settled, as this awesome collectible will set you back 37,380 yen (US$470). Not that this should affect you, but there is a limit of three per customer, and the head will arrive late next February. [Source: ANN]

11.12.2012

What better way to commemorate the release of Evangelion 3.0 You Can [Not] Redo than with just about 50 awesome character goods to be sold by theaters starting this Saturday. Well, 46 awesome merchandise to be exact. You can expect to find the usual (and beautiful) clear file folders, stickers, pens, straps, and different mobile goodies. But within the 46 items are some special picks that have got this EVA afficianado giving her gotta-have-it face.

If I were lucky enough to make it to theaters in Japan, my shopping list would include:

Item 17 - Who doesn't need a letter opener? So why not make it a spear letter opener?

Item 22 - Sure, there are plenty of keychains out there, but this one has got that special something.

Item 25 - Why not a monolithic way to tell time with this Seele-type clock...

Item 31 - To all the Ritsuko lovers, you gotta have an official Nerv ashtray.

Item 35 - And you'll definitely need a pass case when you catch the train.

Item 38 - My personal favorite is the perennial calendar that is made to last...genius-ly styled after the Nerv elevator floor number display.

Item 43 - Because we all get hungry eventually, why not have some cookies with Kaworu's silhouette?

Check out the entire list here and full catalog photo here. And while you're at it, be sure to drop me a line if you find it in your heart to pick up some items for me from my wishlist :) From one Eva fan to another...

11.02.2012

On November 29th, there will be a one night only, exclusive screening event for Mass Effect: Paragon Lost. Show times will vary by theater. This very limited engagement will hit the following cities: New York City, San Francisco, Edmonton (Canada), Dallas, Greensboro, and Los Angeles. If you're in one of these cities, you won't want to miss this.

And as an extra special bonus, the first 20 people who attend the screenings will receive a FREE Mass Effect : Paragon Lost T-shirt.

Mass Effect: Paragon Lost is the result of an epic collaboration between the legendary Bioware and visionary Production I.G (Innocence, Kill Bill: Vol.1 (Animation Part), BLOOD-C The Last Dark . [Source: Funimation]

ABOUT THE MOVIE
Mass Effect: Paragon Lost is the prequel to the highly-anticipated Mass Effect 3 and follows the early career of Alliance Marine, James Vega. Vega leads an elite Special Forces squad into battle against a mysterious alien threat known as The Collectors. Stationed at a colony in a remote star system, Vega and his soldiers must protect the civilians from a ruthless invasion determined to capture the population for unknown purposes. Learn more about the Mass Effect universe with an unprecedented glimpse into the haunted past of Mass Effect's newest hero! Featuring the voices of : Freddie Prinze Jr., Monica Rial (Deadman Wonderland), Vic Mignogna (Fullmetal Alchemist).

Pre-order your copy of the movie, available on Blu-ray and DVD on 12.28.12. If you haven't done so yet, check out the trailer below!

11.01.2012

The official website for the Evangelion franchise began streaming the theatrical trailer for Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (Evangelion Shin Gekijō-ban Q), the third film in Hideaki Anno and Khara's four-part remake of Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series. Check it out below (hey, new characters!!). The film is set to open in Japan on November 17th.

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Previews, News, Reviews, and Convention Reports of all things Japan, from the perspective of a crazed self-proclaimed Otaku -- from Anime to Manga to J-music to Video Games to Figures to Fashion to Culture. A plethora of goodies for the novice to the veteran fan and everyone else in between.